Heretofore there have been many different types of tire curing press provided with the primary style of a tire curing press comprising a top and bottom mold enclosure section and tire curing mold portions being provided in the top and bottom enclosure members and being controlled by toggle members to provide for mold opening and closing action. In these prior art tire curing presses, it has been difficult to obtain accurate alignment of upper and lower mold sections to provide positive, accurate sizing of the mold when closed for tire cure action. Also, portions of the mold sections can wear to provide further difficulties for accurate register and sizing of tire molds.
A general object of the present invention is to provide improved tire mold positioning apparatus wherein mold sections are positioned by accurately controlled slide means engaging a pair of upright support posts, the apparatus being adapted to provide convenient, accurate, repetitive mold register and accurately sized tire mold means for tire cure action.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new lock and positioning means for a mold platen so that the platen can be accurately held against vertical movement and a mold portion can be readily engaged with a mold section positioned by the mold platen and upward movement of the upper mold platen is impossible when locked in operative tire cure position.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel annular ram for pressurizing tire molds where as the area of the annular ring is greater than the area of tire being cured so that the differential pressure will maintain the mold in a closed position, and a novel, readily removable lock means for engaging support posts and controlling the uppermost position thereof during tire cure action.
Still other objects of the invention are to provide a new and improved multi-cylinder post means and controls for engaging the beads of a tire shaping bladder and effectively moving the bladder before and after a cure cycle; to provide a novel combination of an annular ram for controlling the vertical position and closing action of a lower mold half and to provide a strong, accurate top stop to limit the position of the press head in the tire cure press.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be made more apparent as the specification proceeds.